Alternative geometry ridge vent louvers

ABSTRACT

Irregular shaped louvers, such as chevron or curved shape louvers, on the sides of a roof ridge vent panel provide increased surface area and great Net Free Area values within a given space.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to roofing products. More specifically, the invention relates to louver openings on roof ridge vents.

BACKGROUND

It is useful, and in many locales a building code requirement, that the attic area of a building be provided with a means to permit air exchange. Such ventilation prevents undue heat buildup, which can render the living quarters of the building uncomfortable and impose unreasonable energy requirements for cooling. Proper ventilation of the attic area also tends to preserve the structural integrity of the roof and roof coverings. One method of venting the roof structure consists of applying a venting media over a slot present along the ridge of a roof. These types of vents are known as ridge vents. Ridge vents are generally secured to a roof surface via a nail gun.

Louvers are usually provided on the ridge vents to facilitate the passage of air through the ridge vent. Louver openings on ridge vent products are typically comprised of straight, horizontal or vertical ribs. However, louver configurations having different geometries can provide enhanced ventilation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides alternative louver rib geometries such as chevron (V-shaped) configuration, elliptical and curved shaped ribs for louver openings.

Ridge vent venting area, known as NFA (“Net Free Area”) is calculated by adding up the sums of all louver openings. Generally, higher NFA values are desirable. The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Therefore, by using a chevron or curved profile, the line between two points can be extended. Thus the increased surface area of the rib structures will offer greater NFA values within a given space. Increased NFA from a given louver section could be used to produce a nail gun version of rigid and roll vent designs. A lower profile of parts will have fewer louver openings and a lower NFA rating than the standard hand nail version. Increasing the louver rib lengths and NFA per opening will permit lower profile design to have a more desirable NFA.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. It will be understood that the particular device embodying the invention is shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in various and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of part of a ridge vent panel illustrating louvers having a chevron configuration in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of part of a ridge vent panel illustrating louvers having a curved configuration in accordance with the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. A ridge vent panel 10 is shown from a top view perspective. At side wall edge 12 of panel 10 are a plurality of louver ribs 14 having a chevron configuration. As illustrated, chevron-shaped louver ribs are horizontally layered, however the invention is not limited in this respect and the invention contemplates other configurations such as vertically arranged chevron-shaped louvers ribs. It should be understood that panel 10 in commercial form will have louver ribs 14 provided on both sidewalls 12. Louver ribs 14 may be arranged in parallel rows extending from sidewall 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, or they may vertically from sidewall 12.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2 in which louver ribs 14 are curved, undulating or elliptical in shape. Other embodiments contemplated by the present invention include any and all irregular (non-straight) shaped louver ribs.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a baffle 16 is also provide outboard from louvers 14. The invention is not limited with respect to the configuration of or type of baffle used.

The present invention contemplates louver ribs having any shape or configuration other than straight ribs that are fully lateral to the sidewall. In addition to the aforementioned chevron and curved ribs, the present invention contemplates louver ribs which are not fully lateral to the sidewall of the panel, which are irregular in shape, non-linear, non-planar, and/or in varied relation to the sidewall of the panel.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A roof ridge vent comprising: a. a panel defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, two end sides and two sidewalls extending between the end sides; and b. a plurality of louvers extending from the sidewalls, the louvers having an irregular geometry.
 2. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 1, wherein the irregular geometry includes chevron-shaped or curved louvers.
 3. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 2, wherein the chevron-shaped or curved louvers have an increased surfaced area.
 4. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 3, wherein the increased surface area provides increased Net Free Area within a given space.
 5. A roof ridge vent comprising: a. a panel defined by an upper surface, a lower surface, two end sides and two sidewalls extending between the end sides; and b. a plurality of louvers extending from the sidewalls, the louvers comprising ribs having a shape or configuration other than straight ribs that are fully lateral in relation to the sidewalls.
 6. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 5, wherein the ribs are irregular in shape, non-linear, non-planar, and/or in varied relation to the sidewalls of the panel
 7. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 6, wherein the ribs have a chevron, elliptical, undulating or curved shape.
 8. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 7, wherein the chevron or curved shaped ribs have an increased surfaced area.
 9. The roof ridge vent as recited in claim 8, wherein the increased surface area provides increased Net Free Area within a given space. 